Realist painter Nathan Walsh, from York, has spent the past 12 years painting the intricate details of cities such as New York, Paris and Barcelona. The sense of realism is partly created by Nathan's incredible use of geometry, which involves the artist sometimes sketching and photographing more than 100 images of a location before committing to the canvas. Pictured top left is Little Russia in New York, bottom left is a cobbled Paris street, centre is Times Square, top right is Verona and bottom right is Barcelona.

They can be found in hotels that seemingly want their pools to be one of their top selling points, with jaw-dropping and mesmerising designs. MailOnline Travel has compiled some of the wackiest hotel pool designs around the world. Pools include geothermal spas in Iceland (top left), blood-red waters in Thailand (top right), infinity pools in incredible locations (bottom left) and even one for vertigo sufferers to avoid (bottom right).

Malaysian director general of civil aviation Azharuddin Abdul Rahman - who is leading the investigation in France - confirmed the part found on a beach near capital Saint Denis is not part of doomed MH370.

A cocktail at sail away, watching the sunset from the deck is one of the joys of cruising. But don't you sometimes wish you could stay in port all evening to join the locals for dinner in a lively square?

Thirteen years after it opened as one of the most luxurious tourist resorts in the Peloponnese - with a blue-flag beach and A-lister clientele - Hotel Lakonis is half derelict. Now it is for sale, offered at five million euros - but privately said to be available for as little as half that price. The once-thriving 100-room luxury hotel in east Mani took three decades to complete and was built by a private developer who now owes 'significant sums' to the bank.

Time-warped Pyramiden has become a popular curiosity in the Arctic Circle world of mountains, fjords and glaciers. It is on a fjord on Norway's Spitzberg island in the Svalbard. This summer eight Russians were employed at Pyramiden to look after the hotel and the coal-fired water system. Pictured is Alexander Romanovskiy, the Russian guard of the abandoned settlement.

Professional and amateur photographers favour the Lake District (main photo) when it comes to capturing amazing scenery. It was followed by the Yorkshire Dales (inset), Peak District and Snowdonia National Park. At No 6, Stonehenge was the first southern spot to make the list, followed by the White Cliffs of Dover. In a second poll more than 2,000 UK adults were asked to rank the top 'lesser-known' beauty spots in the UK, with Scotland's Isle of Skye ranking first.

Quinta Nova (pictured) would be a tempting place to stay in an industrial wasteland. But it happens to be in the outstandingly beautiful Douro Valley and has a swimming pool (top left) set among the vineyards which, as MailOnline Travel found out, makes it irresistible. Plus, guests can sail up the Douro river in some style (top right).

Presenter Jamie Theakston (inset) has been visiting the Maldives for over 15 years but for the first time has his family in tow. Pirate excursions, water fights and nature trails entertain his five year old and seven year old at Conrad Maldives, allowing the adults to kick back and enjoy the serenity. Teaming with sea life the resort boasts the Maldives first ever underwater restaurant (inset).

The Eurostar (inset) now whisks passengers at 186mph direct to France's second city and its incredible coastline, world-class restaurants and vibrant bars. Here's your guide to the highlights. Pictured top left is the stunning view of the city from Hotel Dieu, bottom left is the old harbour area, top right a stunning beach a few miles from the city centre and bottom right a characterful street in the Le Paniers district, which is full of arty shops and homely bars.

We've all encountered art in galleries but some of the most astonishing and original art can be found where you would least expect it. Encouraging travellers to ditch the museum and head off the beaten track, professor and author of A Short Book About Art, Dana Arnold reveals to MailOnline Travel the most remote and remarkable places to discover art and architecture around the world.

Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands (inset), boasts one of Europe's top spas, several Michelin-starred and award-winning restaurants, the sumptuous Atlantic Hotel (top right) and miles of sandy beaches. From beautiful coastline views and lengthy countryside walks to foodie hotspots and wildlife parks - the small Channel Island has something for everyone, young and old. Not only that, but it is one of the easiest places to get to with flights regularly departing from the UK, with journey times less than 45 minutes from London. The Atlantic Hotel (bottom left) boasts large, luxurious suites (top left) and overlooks the adjoining La Moye championship golf course and offers views stretching for miles over St Ouen's Bay. It is the perfect base for a relaxing trip to the island, but no visit is complete without a relaxing spa day at the Ayush Wellness Spa in St Helier (bottom right), which has been voted one of the seven best hotel spas in Europe.

A giant surf park on the edge of Snowdonia National Park in Wales has been made featuring waves that are up to six feet high. The incredible 985-foot-long Surf Snowdonia is to open on Saturday. The £12 million project will see barrelling waves crash back and forth across the lagoon, offering a 20 second ride. The waves are created once a minute by a plough-like weight that moves underwater along a central pier, using technology from Spanish company Wavegarden.

When viewed from the sky Britain's most iconic landmarks take on a whole new complexion. While some could easily be mistaken for some mysterious microscopic organism when looked at from above by Google Earth, as is the case for the unique and beautiful Isles of Scilly (top left) south of Cornwall, others are entirely unrecognisable despite being towering behemoths from ground level. Pictured top right are the white cliffs of Dover, bottom left is Loch Ness and bottom right is Wembley Stadium.

With pink limousines, tacky souvenirs and the gigantic Vegas strip, the larger-than-life city became a beacon in the desert over the years - but it didn't always look that way. Revealed in rare retrospective photographs are the vintage cars parked outside casinos for a weekend escape, elephant croupiers and the glamour of 1950's showgirls.The city that lured Hollywood's glitterati including Elvis Presley and Gene Kelly is strikingly different to the illuminated, bustling hotspot of today.

Singapore is undoubtedly one of the 20th century's greatest success stories, with what was once swampland now a sea of skyscrapers that is home to a proud global financial hub. The tiny city-state and island nation, which is less than half the size of London, is currently in the midst of the biggest party in its short solo history as it marks 50 years since gaining full independence. As proud Singaporeans count down to the culmination of a year of celebrations over the long weekend from August 7-10, telling images illustrate just how far the country has come in that short space of time with its skyline meteorically rising (top images) and its clean and vibrant tourist attractions deleloped (bottom images).

Whether you're looking for a luxury five-star hotel in the Scottish countryside, owned by Dunblane native Andy Murray (top right), or a quick bite to eat at the aptly-named Cafe Football (top left), which is the brainchild of ex-Manchester United players Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville, there's a star-approved destination for all tastes. Here, MailOnline Travel selects our top star-studded picks for a delicious dinner, comfortable stay, and - if you're lucky - maybe even a celebrity spot. Pictured bottom left is Bono and The Edge's Clarence Hotel in Dublin and bottom right John Malkovich's Big Sleep hotel in Cardiff.

These amazing scenes play out on a daily basis in Vietnam, but they're an eye-opener for Western tourists who aren't accustomed to seeing motorbikes overloaded with goods or supplies. Photographer Ton Koen captured the delivery drivers as they transported everything from ballons (top left) and bags filled with live fish (right) to cases of bottled beer and bundles of piping that almost completely obscured a motorbike (bottom left).

Still stuck for what to do for a summer holiday? Worry not. While the clock may be ticking, there are still plenty of cheap breaks out there - from France to the USA. Joanna Tweedy picks some of the finest.

These breath-taking photographs reveal the everyday lives of animals living in the wild. The incredible images were taken by wildlife photographer Wim van dan Heever, from Pretoria, South Africa, during trips to locations including Japan, Botswana and Svalbard. The 43-year-old has been photographing wildlife since he was a young boy and turned his passion for animals into a career and set up ODP Safaris in 2006.

Dave Sims biked 1,600 miles of the most hotly contested bike race in the world and raised thousands of pounds for Help for Heroes. He received a video message from winner Chris Froome and was treated by Team Sky's physios for his ankle injury. Dave spent 117 hours in the saddle to complete the epic ride.